115,146 / 59.85% Yes votes ...... 77,256 / 40.15% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Ballot Simplification Committee

FINAL APPROVED DIGEST UPON RECONSIDERATION August 11, 2003/ 9:01a.m. / Packard/ Ollis/ Smith

(Proposition I)

Smart Start for San Francisco Kids*

The Way it is Now:

San Francisco uses federal, State and local money to fund organizations that provide child care and preschool for certain families and to help these families pay for those services. In general, to qualify for these funds, families must meet income limits specified in federal and State law.

The City sets aside a portion of property taxes in a special Children's Fund. This fund can be used only for expanded services for children up to age 18, including affordable child care.

The Proposal:

Proposition I is an ordinance that would create a separate program to pay part of the cost of child care and preschool for certain families. Families with at least one child between 3 and 5 years old could receive this subsidy if they live in San Francisco; have an income at or below 75% of the California median income; and do not receive a child care or preschool subsidy from the State.

Under Proposition I, money from the Children's Fund could not be used to pay for this child care program. It would be up to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to fund this program each year.

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

you want to create a separate program to pay part of the cost of child care and preschool for families that meet specified income limits and have at least one child between 3 and 5 years old.

A NO vote of this measure means:

you do not want to create this separate program.